Positive development

11,500 women are already joining the fire departments

More and more women are getting involved in the volunteer fire departments in Lower Austria in their free time.(Bild: Patrick Schiesser/SID-Team)

The fire departments in Lower Austria are pleased about the ever-increasing number of female comrades. There are already 11,500 women in the country's largest volunteer organization - and it's hard to imagine life without them.

Back in the 1970s, women were still a rarity in the fire department. It was not until 20 years later that social change and targeted initiatives paved the way for more women to join the active service. Today, there are already 11,500 female firefighters in the volunteer fire departments of Lower Austria. And the trend is rising!

18 female commanders
Last year alone, the proportion of women increased by almost ten percent - from girls in the youth fire department, to mothers who juggle family, career and fire department, to those who are involved as managers. 226 women are already part of fire department commands, 18 of whom are responsible for their own fire department as commanders.

"Highly committed"
"I am delighted that more and more women are finding their way into the fire department and are also asserting themselves in leadership positions," explains Provincial Fire Service Commander Didi Fahrafellner. Female members are now an integral part of the fire department. "They do outstanding work and are highly committed. We would like to use International Women's Day to express our appreciation for the women in our organization and hope that we can continue the positive trend in the future," says Fahrafellner.